Seniors
Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old. As the Co-Chair of the House Democrats Task Force on Aging and Families in the House of Representatives, I believe it is essential that we nurture a culture that respects older Americans and that protects the financial and health security that Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid provide.
Older Americans have spent many years working to raise families, pay their taxes, protect our country and build our communities. They have the right to the benefits that they have earned and to know that they will have the resources they need in retirement. That is why I so strongly oppose efforts to privatize Social Security or reduce benefits, to turn Medicare over to private insurance companies and turn it into "vouchercare", or jeopardize access to long-term care services by cutting Medicaid and turning it into a block grant. We can ensure the longevity of these programs by making them more efficient. We do not need to cut benefits.
I am also committed to expanding access to the full range of long-term care services and supports, and helping seniors age in place within their own communities. We must build upon the Older Americans Act to meet those needs.
More on Seniors
With Medicare Open Enrollment now underway, I wanted to share important details with you regarding recent improvements to Medicare that are lowering health care costs.
One year ago this week, the world saw the worst perpetration of violence inflicted on the Jewish people since the Holocaust. The terrorist organization Hamas took the lives of over 1,200 people in Israel, injured over 3,000 more, and captured over 200 people – including many American citizens.
Hersh Goldberg-Polin was a courageous ray of light with a bright future ahead of him. I’m devastated to learn that he was killed by Hamas and his body was recovered from a tunnel in Rafah alongside five other hostages.
We got some great news last week! Thanks to the hard work of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, three Americans were released from wrongful detention in Russia. Evan Gershkovich, Marine Veteran Paul Whelan, and Russian-American radio journalist Alsu Kurmasheva are now back in the United States, returning home after unimaginable suffering. The Biden-Harris administration has now brought home over 70 Americans who were held in captivity. I’m grateful for their commitment and dedication to bringing Americans home.
There is no doubt in my mind that President Joe Biden will go down in history as one of the most consequential presidents of all time. In his one term in office, President Biden created more jobs than any previous administration in the same time span. He lowered prescription drug prices and capped insulin for Medicare beneficiaries at $35 a month. He made the largest ever investment in our climate. He fought for every American – he advocated for workers’ rights, and championed LGBTQ+ and women’s rights. I thank President Biden for his decades of unrelenting service.
Last week, I joined nearly all Democrats in voting against passage of the shortsighted and harmful National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The original NDAA that passed out of committee 57-1 included numerous provisions that would make life better for service members and their families, including a 19.5% pay raise for junior enlisted troops, a 4.5% increase for all other service members, increased investments in childcare, and a restoration of the full Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH).
Fans are incredibly frustrated by how hard it has become to buy event tickets. With every ticketing debacle, from Beyoncé to Taylor Swift, and so many more, their frustration grows. Help could soon be on the way! My bill, the TICKET Act, just passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming support and would help make the ticketing process easier for all. Consumers deserve to be protected from fraudulent tickets, surprise costs, and excessive fees.
This week was a big week in the House of Representatives! Thanks to the passage of the National Security Supplemental package, Congress took a major step towards giving our allies the assistance they need, standing up to global aggressors and bad actors like Russia, Iran, and Hamas, and getting desperately needed aid to civilians around the globe.